Dental plaque is a combination of minerals and bacteria. The bacteria associated with plaque can cause inflammatory gingivitis. Gingivitis, in turn, may lead to periodontitis. Therefore, it would be highly desirable to develop compositions and methods for inhibiting plaque. As such, numerous compositions and methods for inhibiting the formation of plaque are reported in the literature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,070, issued Jul. 11, 1989, to Pyrz et al., discloses oral compositions which are effective against calculus and contain a chelating agent which is an acrylic acid polymer or copolymer or EDTA, a strontium ion source, a fluoride ion source, a pyrophosphate ion source, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The mass average molecular weight of the acrylic acid polymer or copolymer used in this invention may be in the range of about 1,000 to about 1,200,000.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,245, issued Mar. 28, 1989, to Gaffar, discloses a method of inhibiting human dental plaque and gingivitis involving regular application to the oral cavity of an oral composition containing an effective plaque- and gingivitis-inhibiting amount of polyvinyl phosphonic acid, or salt thereof, having a number average molecular weight of about 4,000 to 9,100.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,525, issued Oct. 4, 1988, to Pera, discloses a dental treatment composition and method for reducing dental plaque. The disclosed method comprises treating dental surfaces with a composition containing sodium alginate, which acts as a calcium ion chelating agent which weakens the bond between the plaque and the teeth, thereby allowing easy removal of the plaque by subsequent brushing. The compositions disclosed in this patent may also contain benzalkonium chloride and zinc sulfate, which provide for desensitizing the teeth and eliminating of halitosis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,925, issued Jul. 26, 1988, to Gaffar et al., discloses the use of a mixture of the perfluoroalkyl surfactant of the general formula C.sub.x F.sub.2x+1 (CH.sub.2).sub.n S(CH.sub.2).sub.n 'CO.sub.2 M, wherein x is an integer of 3-8, n and n' are independently integers of 2 to 4, and M is hydrogen, and an alkali metal or ammonium as a dentifrice or a mouthwash with the benefit of preventing plaque formation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,977, issued Dec. 9, 1986, to Gaffar et al., discloses an oral composition containing a calculus-inhibiting amount of a linear molecularly dehydrated polyphosphate salt and, to inhibit enzymatic hydrolysis of said polyphosphate salt in saliva, a combination of a fluoride ion-providing source and a synthetic anionic linear polymeric polycarboxylate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,179, issued Jul. 9, 1985, to Gaffar, discloses a method of inhibiting human dental plaque and gingivitis by the regular application to the oral cavity of an oral composition containing an effective plaque- and gingivitis-inhibiting amount of polyvinyl phosphonic acid or salt thereof. The polyvinyl phosphonic acid of this reference has a preferred number average molecular weight of about 6,000 to about 100,000.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,930, issued Jan. 31, 1984, to Chang, discloses a dentifrice composition containing a water-dispersible, membrane-forming material which, when applied to tooth surfaces in an oral environment, attaches thereto and forms a substantially continuous hydrophobic barrier thereon, which hydrophobic barrier substantially reduces elution of a previously applied therapeutic agent. This patent also discloses a method for inhibiting plaque formation on teeth which comprises contacting the teeth with an effective amount of the above-described composition. Polymeric anionic membrane forming materials disclosed as useful in the compositions of this patent include a class of polymers having a polyolefinic main chain with acid functionalities pendent therefrom. Typical of the materials which can comprise the polyolefinic main chain are polymers of ethylene, propylene, styrene, unsaturated carboxylic acids, and copolymers of two or more of these materials. Representative polymeric anionic membrane forming materials disclosed as useful in the compositions of this patent include polyacrylic acid having a molecular weight in the range of 2,000 to 4,000,000; sodium polystyrenesulfonate having a molecular weight in the range of about 5,000 to 6,000,000; "Gantrez AN", available from GAF corporation; polyvinyl phosphate; and copolymers of acrylates which contain pendent carboxyl groups.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,461, issued Mar. 1, 1983, to Gander et al., discloses compositions and methods for preventing the attachment of dental plaque to the surfaces of the teeth of mammals. These disclosed compositions and methods comprise certain sulfonated vinylaromatic homopolymers and copolymers and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof in a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, and a periodic application thereof to teeth. Hydrophilic polymeric anionic sulfates useful for dental plaque control in accordance with the disclosure of this patent are essentially sulfonated homopolymers of both unsubstituted and substituted styrene, 1-vinylnaphthalene, 2-vinylnaphthalene, and acenaphthylene, and certain copolymers thereof. Representative examples of vinyl aromatic monomers, homopolymers, and copolymers which are available in commerce and can be converted to the hydrophilic polymeric sulfonates of this patent are the following: (a) polystyrene and sodium polystyrene sulfonate of varying molecular weights available from Pressure Chemical Company; (b) styrene/butadiene (85/15) copolymer; (c) styrene/isobutylene (60/40) copolymer; (d) vinylbenzyl chloride monomer, 60/40 meta-/paraisomers, available from Dow Chemical Company; and (e) halostyrene monomers available from Polysciences Inc., and Aldrich Chemical Company.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,713, issued Dec. 7, 1982, to Buck, discloses compositions and methods for preventing the attachment of dental plaque to the teeth of mammals. The disclosed compositions and methods comprise certain salts of certain maleic acid copolymers in a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and the periodic application thereof to teeth. This patent further discloses that certain hydrophilic alkali metal and ammonium salts of 1:1 copolymers of styrene and maleic acid and 1:1 copolymers of certain linear 1-alkenes and maleic acid have been found to inhibit the deposition of dental plaque onto human teeth when applied thereon.
U.S Patent 4,224,309, issued Sep. 23, 1980, to Gaffar et al., discloses an oral composition containing an antibacterial antiplaque agent and an anti-stain additive which reduces staining caused by the antibacterial antiplaque agent, without substantially diminishing the activity of the antibacterial antiplaque agent. Bis-biguanido hexanes, such as chlorhexidine and alexidine, and quaternary ammonium salts, such as benzethonium chloride and cetyl pyridinium chloride, are typical examples of antibacterial agents. The anti-stain additive is 2-phosphono-butane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid or an orally acceptable salt thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,477, issued Feb. 6, 1979, to Gaffar, discloses a composition which is useful for the prevention and control of mouth odor and is also effective in preventing calculus, plaque, caries and periodontal disease. This composition contains, as its essential agent, a zinc-polymer combination formed by the reaction or interaction of a zinc compound with an anionic polymer containing carboxylic, sulfonic and/or phosphonic acid radicals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,474, issued Oct. 3, 1978, to Gaffar et al., discloses an antibacterial oral composition effective to promote oral hygiene which contains an antibacterial antiplaque agent and an additive for reducing staining of dental surfaces without substantially diminishing the activity of the antibacterial and antiplaque agent. Bis-biguanido hexanes, such as chlorhexidine and alexidine, and quaternary ammonium salts, such as benzethonium chloride and cetyl pyridinium chloride, are typical examples of antibacterial antiplaque agents. The antistain additive is phosphonoacetic acid or salts thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,473, issued Oct. 3, 1978, to Gaffar et al., discloses an antibacterial oral composition effective to promote oral hygiene which contains an antibacterial antiplaque agent and an additive for reducing staining of dental surfaces without substantially diminishing the activity of the antibacterial and antiplaque agent. Bis-biguanido hexanes, such as chlorhexidine and alexidine, and quaternary ammonium salts, such as benzethonium chloride and cetyl pyridinium chloride, are typical examples of antibacterial antiplaque agents. The antistain additive is an N-methylene phosphonate compound, such as iminodiacetic N-methylene phosphonic acid and salts thereof.
United Kingdom Patent Application 2151478-A, published Jul. 24, 1985, assigned to the Colgate-Palmolive Company, discloses that dental plaque and gingivitis are inhibited by the regular application to the oral cavity of an oral composition containing an effective plaque- and gingivitis-inhibiting amount of polyvinyl phosphonic acid or a salt thereof. The polyvinyl phosphonic acid, and salt thereof, have a preferred number average molecular weight of from about 6,000 to 100,000.
In spite of the many disclosures of agents useful for inhibiting and reducing plaque, the need for improved antiplaque products still exists, particularly for antiplaque products that do not cause staining of the teeth.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for inhibiting plaque formation on teeth, without tooth staining, by applying a plaque-inhibiting, carboxy-containing copolymer active agent to the oral cavity.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for oral compositions containing such active agent copolymer and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
These objects will be realized by the present invention.